Written questions by Snowden.

What steps he is taking to ensure equitable access to participation in mental health clinical trials across different (a) regions and (b) demographic groups in (i) general and (ii) Lancashire.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments, including mental health clinical trials.The Department funds research and research infrastructure across England through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including on mental health.NIHR research infrastructure has national coverage across all National Health Service trusts in England, through 12 regions, to build research capacity and capability across all geographies and settings.The NIHR provides an online service called 'Be Part of Research' which promotes participation in health and social care research, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them, including mental health clinical trials.Through the NIHR’s Research Delivery Network (RDN), the NIHR funds the delivery of research in the North West, including for mental health trusts, and supports recruitment and screening for all eligible participants across Lancashire.From 2026/27, the RDN will adopt a new national funding model for NHS support costs and research delivery. This will be a consistent, nationally agreed funding distribution model across all regions of England and will reduce regional variation in health research delivery investment. This aims to reduce inequity in research delivery across all therapy and geography areas, including in underserved areas and settings.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Business rates are a vital source of revenue for Local Government. The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with ratable values below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure they benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

What support his Department has provided to bereaved families of infected individuals who died without receiving compensation to ensure awareness of the new registration process.

The delivery of compensation, including the opening of a registration service, is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). IBCA opened their registration service on 9th October to allow people to register their intent to claim online. Those who are unable to register online or who require additional support can call IBCA’s dedicated registration support line on 0141 471 8886. Additionally, an individual can ask someone to register on their behalf. This could be a family member, trusted adult, legal representative, carer or someone with power of attorney. IBCA has worked with infected blood charities and community groups to raise awareness of the registration service opening.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish a breakdown of how each local authority spends its share of the new £84 million homelessness support funding announced in the news release entitled £84 million injection to tackle homelessness, published on 9 October 2025.

Local authorities are best placed to understand local need. Our funding provides local authorities with the flexibility to determine the most effective services to support vulnerable individuals in their areas. You can find local authority level allocations of the £84 million announced on 10 October here: Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant 2025 to 2026: updated allocations - GOV.UK​​Supporting Children Experiencing Homelessness:​ funding allocations - GOV.UKRough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Programme 2025 to 2026: updated funding allocations - GOV.UK.

How many people have participated in the Connect to Work programme since its inception.

The Connect to Work programme has been designed with local authorities and is being delivered by local areas. Each local area across all of England and Wales has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Local areas working with their Delivery Partners and DWP are fully responsible for delivery of Connect to Work as outlined in their Delivery Plan.Connect to Work participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. Connect to Work employment specialists may be integrated into primary and secondary health care settings and other support services to assist individuals with mild to moderate mental and/or physical health conditions. The Connect to Work grant funding is formula based. To access the funding each accountable body has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Connect to Work is designed to give local areas considerable flexibility in determining how they deliver Connect to Work locally, including decisions about integration into health care settings. While there is an expectation that employment specialists will work in partnership with health services to support individuals with health-related barriers to work, DWP has not set requirements for the number or type of health care settings in which they must be embedded. This allows local areas to tailor delivery to meet the specific needs of their populations and existing service infrastructure.Local areas are fully responsible for identifying referral routes in their areas. Connect to Work has wide ranging referral routes into the programme, which include primary healthcare, community care and other care settings and through social prescribing together with wider local organisations e.g. Voluntary and Charity Sector services and employers as well as Jobcentre Plus. A breakdown of referral routes for participants is not yet available centrally.The Connect to Work programme has been rolling out and opening across England and Wales throughout this year. As of October 2025, around a third of delivery areas have Connect to Work services already open to participants.For areas that have yet to have their Connect to Work funding confirmed, DWP continues to provide support to help them finalise their delivery plans. We expect these areas to have their services live by spring 2026.Total funding for Connect to Work will reach over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide around 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade.Data is not yet available for the Connect to Work Programme. The Department plan to develop official statistics to support Connect to Work, and updates will be shared via the DWP Statistical Work Programme.

Whether any local authority areas submitted unsuccessful bids for Connect to Work funding during this expansion round.

The Connect to Work programme has been designed with local authorities and is being delivered by local areas. Each local area across all of England and Wales has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Local areas working with their Delivery Partners and DWP are fully responsible for delivery of Connect to Work as outlined in their Delivery Plan.Connect to Work participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. Connect to Work employment specialists may be integrated into primary and secondary health care settings and other support services to assist individuals with mild to moderate mental and/or physical health conditions. The Connect to Work grant funding is formula based. To access the funding each accountable body has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Connect to Work is designed to give local areas considerable flexibility in determining how they deliver Connect to Work locally, including decisions about integration into health care settings. While there is an expectation that employment specialists will work in partnership with health services to support individuals with health-related barriers to work, DWP has not set requirements for the number or type of health care settings in which they must be embedded. This allows local areas to tailor delivery to meet the specific needs of their populations and existing service infrastructure.Local areas are fully responsible for identifying referral routes in their areas. Connect to Work has wide ranging referral routes into the programme, which include primary healthcare, community care and other care settings and through social prescribing together with wider local organisations e.g. Voluntary and Charity Sector services and employers as well as Jobcentre Plus. A breakdown of referral routes for participants is not yet available centrally.The Connect to Work programme has been rolling out and opening across England and Wales throughout this year. As of October 2025, around a third of delivery areas have Connect to Work services already open to participants.For areas that have yet to have their Connect to Work funding confirmed, DWP continues to provide support to help them finalise their delivery plans. We expect these areas to have their services live by spring 2026.Total funding for Connect to Work will reach over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide around 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade.Data is not yet available for the Connect to Work Programme. The Department plan to develop official statistics to support Connect to Work, and updates will be shared via the DWP Statistical Work Programme.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of regional variation in uptake of the Connect to Work programme.

The Connect to Work programme has been designed with local authorities and is being delivered by local areas. Each local area across all of England and Wales has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Local areas working with their Delivery Partners and DWP are fully responsible for delivery of Connect to Work as outlined in their Delivery Plan.Connect to Work participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. Connect to Work employment specialists may be integrated into primary and secondary health care settings and other support services to assist individuals with mild to moderate mental and/or physical health conditions. The Connect to Work grant funding is formula based. To access the funding each accountable body has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Connect to Work is designed to give local areas considerable flexibility in determining how they deliver Connect to Work locally, including decisions about integration into health care settings. While there is an expectation that employment specialists will work in partnership with health services to support individuals with health-related barriers to work, DWP has not set requirements for the number or type of health care settings in which they must be embedded. This allows local areas to tailor delivery to meet the specific needs of their populations and existing service infrastructure.Local areas are fully responsible for identifying referral routes in their areas. Connect to Work has wide ranging referral routes into the programme, which include primary healthcare, community care and other care settings and through social prescribing together with wider local organisations e.g. Voluntary and Charity Sector services and employers as well as Jobcentre Plus. A breakdown of referral routes for participants is not yet available centrally.The Connect to Work programme has been rolling out and opening across England and Wales throughout this year. As of October 2025, around a third of delivery areas have Connect to Work services already open to participants.For areas that have yet to have their Connect to Work funding confirmed, DWP continues to provide support to help them finalise their delivery plans. We expect these areas to have their services live by spring 2026.Total funding for Connect to Work will reach over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide around 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade.Data is not yet available for the Connect to Work Programme. The Department plan to develop official statistics to support Connect to Work, and updates will be shared via the DWP Statistical Work Programme.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of the use of temporary escalation spaces in the NHS.

The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet, so patients can be treated with dignity.  We are therefore doing everything we can as fast as we can to consign the delivery of care in temporary escalation spaces to the history books.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out the steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care.NHS England publishes monthly data on accident and emergency performance. This includes information on those accident and emergency attendances that are 12 hours or longer for type 1 and 2 accident and emergency providers. A copy of the latest data publication is attached.

Whether she is taking steps to increase business coaching in schools; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a named business coach in secondary schools.

Businesses are already strongly encouraged to support careers education in schools and colleges throughout England. The national network of 44 careers hubs supports 96% of secondary schools and colleges and engages with over 400 leading employers, working together to improve careers guidance and inspire young people.There are a number of ways that businesses and stakeholders can support careers education through engagement with The Careers & Enterprise Company, such as through the Enterprise Adviser programme, a network of approximately 3,700 business volunteers from various employment sectors and backgrounds who offer support to schools and colleges.The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is evaluating the existing national curriculum and statutory assessment system in England to ensure they are fit for purpose. It is considering whether there is sufficient coverage of knowledge and skills that are essential to sufficiently prepare children and young people for future life and to thrive in a fast-changing world. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published this autumn, at which point the government will respond.

What assessment his Department has made of the (a) adequacy of staffing levels and (b) potential impact of workforce levels on service delivery in hospices.

Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services. As independent organisations, charitable hospices are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment, including the pay scales. It is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate, and how to recoup any additional costs they face if they choose to utilise the terms and conditions of NHS staff on the Agenda for Change contract.The NHS has been facing chronic workforce shortages for years, and we have to be honest that bringing in the staff we need will take time. The Government will make sure the NHS has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it, including at the end of life. We have developed a 10-Year Health Plan to deliver an NHS fit for the future, and a central part of the plan is our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.We will publish a new workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, to ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.Additionally, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26.  I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local integrated care board on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

What data his Department holds on the number of child (a) injuries and (b) illnesses linked to counterfeit toys in the last five years.

The Department does not collect or hold this data. The National Health Service classifies injuries and illnesses by diagnosis rather than cause. Hospital Episode Statistics do not have an International Classification of Disease code for counterfeit products.The Department acknowledges increasing concerns regarding the potential health risks to children associated with fake and counterfeit products. Children’s health remains a priority for the Government.

What plans she has to work with schools to (a) identify and (b) support pupils impacted by homelessness or temporary accommodation.

On 10 October, the government announced £10.9 million in funding for ‘Supporting Children Experiencing Homelessness’ via the Homelessness Prevention Grant for 2025/26. The funding has been allocated to 61 local authorities with the highest numbers of children in temporary accommodation to increase access to support and services for families and to make a tangible impact on their quality of life whilst they remain in need. The funding is intended to deliver positive benefits to children’s education outcomes and can include interventions such as travel to school, school uniforms and equipment, and the improvement of communal spaces to enable children to complete homework.‘Keeping children safe in education 2025’ (KCSIE) is the statutory guidance to which schools and colleges in England must have regard when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.KCSIE outlines that school and college staff are in a position to identify concerns early, provide help for children, promote children’s welfare and prevent concerns from escalating, and that all staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn.

How much funding was allocated to hospice services in each of the last five financial years; and what information his Department holds on the proportion of that funding from (a) central government, (b) local authorities and (c) charitable donations.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative care and end of life care.Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and their loved ones.Most hospices in England are charitable organisations, receiving approximately one third of their funding from the NHS and the rest through other independent fund-raising means. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives from the NHS varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.This approach allows the hospices to maintain their independence and autonomy, providing them with the freedom to provide services beyond the statutory offer. Thus, hospices are not required to report their charitable donations to the Government, nor is the Government to collect such information from hospices.Hospices do incredible work to support people and families when they need it most, and we recognise the incredibly tough pressures they are facing. Which is why, for the first time in a generation, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.Furthermore, the Children’s Hospice ‘Grant’ has provided additional funding since 2006/07. The following table shows the Children’s Hospice ‘Grant’ amounts allocated since 2015/16 to 2025/26:YearGrant amount awarded2015/16£11,000,000.002016/17£11,000,000.002017/18£11,000,000.002018/19£11,000,000.002019/20£12,000,000.002020/21£15,000,000.002021/22£17,000,000.002022/23£21,000,000.002023/24£25,000,000.002024/25£25,000,000.002025/26£26,000,000.00Note: the payment is no longer referred to as a ‘grant’ by NHS England as it is now channelled through ICBs rather than being directly paid to hospices by NHS England.Since 2022/23, individual allocations of the grant have been determined using a prevalence-based model, enabling allocations to reflect local population need.I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

What steps he is taking to ensure equitable regional access to hospice care.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.However, due to the way the hospice movement organically grew, hospice locations were largely not planned with a view to providing even access across the country or to prioritise areas of greatest need based on demographics. Therefore, there are inequalities in access to hospice services, especially for those living in rural or socio-economically deprived areas.We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26.  I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICB on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.More widely, I have tasked officials to look at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

What estimate he has made of the number of care workers working for less than the National Living Wage in Fylde constituency.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 16th October is attached.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the RM6277 framework agreement on small and medium-sized recruitment agencies supplying non-clinical staff to the NHS.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) designed the RM6277 Non Clinical Staffing commercial agreement with small-medium enterprise (SMEs) accessibility in mind. SMEs secured over 70% of places across lots 1 to 6 and 46% in lot 7. CCS commercial agreements are not mandatory, and provide a compliant route to procure common goods and services. It is the responsibility of each organisation, including the NHS, to determine whether to use a framework.

Whether the Crown Commercial Service considered the (a) cost and (b) accessibility of the RM6277 framework to small independent recruitment agencies during the design and tendering process.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) considered bidding costs and accessibility for small independent agencies in the design and tendering of RM6277: Non‑Clinical Staffing, including lotting, proportionate evaluation and market engagement. Small-medium enterprises, including small independent recruitment agencies, secured over 70% of places across lots 1 to 6 and 46% in lot 7. This is in line with the government’s strategy to back small and medium-sized businesses.

What estimate he has made of levels of malnutrition in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Government is committed to tackling malnutrition, including in the Fylde constituency and Lancashire. In the United Kingdom, the primary causes of malnutrition are clinical. Most cases will be secondary to another health condition which may impact on nutritional needs or impact on a person’s ability to eat and drink. As such, poor or inadequate dietary intake is unlikely to be the primary cause.The Department does not hold malnutrition data at the constituency or local authority level. While NHS England has previously published information on malnutrition from National Health Service providers at the Government Office Region of Treatment, this is a primary or secondary diagnosis and is a count of admissions not people; the same person may have had more than one admission episode within same time period. The most recent malnutrition data published by NHS England in October 2024 is available by NHS hospital trusts.Diagnosis and detection are key, and health staff are trained to spot the early warning signs of malnutrition so effective individual treatment can be put in place. All NHS services are recommended to adhere to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guideline CG32, Nutrition support for adults: oral nutrition support, enteral tube feeding and parenteral nutrition. NHS England’s Nursing Directorate is also leading on a review and refresh of the National Nutrition and Hydration guidance.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the results of research funded through the Mental Health Goals programme are rapidly translated into frontline NHS mental health services.

The Government is investing £50 million through the Mental Health Goals programme to speed up the translation of research into frontline NHS services. Funding will support a 20,000-person research cohort, improved access to mental health data, and an Industry Alliance Team to fast-track clinical trials. A new Lived Experience Partnership will ensure innovations reflect real patient needs. These steps will help deliver more effective, personalised treatments for people struggling with mental health conditions and ensure that breakthroughs reach NHS patients faster, supporting a National Health Service fit for the future.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2025 to Question 79077 on Ethics and Integrity Commission, if he will set out the nature of the advice the Cabinet Office will provide to the Prime Minister before the establishment of a public inquiry; and whether that advice will be made public.

Advice will be tailored to the specifics of each case. Broadly, the Cabinet Office will provide advice on whether a proposed inquiry model and its terms of reference appear appropriate to investigate the particular matter in question. This will help ensure that the right response is taken and that we do not adopt approaches that would delay accountability to victims, survivors and their families. In line with the longstanding approach across multiple administrations, confidential advice to Ministers will not be made public.